Reader Question:
There are recipes for sauerkraut that call for an apple or apple juice, what does the apple or juice do to the sauerkraut? Should a tart or sweet apple be used? Should the apple and apple juice be used together? Should the sauerkraut be drained before using the apple juice and apple?
The Chef’s Answer:
I honestly have never made sauerkraut…not a big fan of it. But I looked at several recipes and came to the opinion that it must be used in large part as a flavor element. Most recipes call for the apples to by covered with shredded cabbage and canning salt. My guess is that the sugar in the apple helps jump start the fermentation and also adds a sweetness to the kraut.
I would not use both the whole apple and apple juice. I would experiment with different apples and see which type of flavor you prefer. No recipe I found listed a specific type.
As far as draining it, I can’t answer this question. Some of the recipes I read call for the cabbage to be submersed under the brine and some called for weights to be put on top to press out the liquid as it ferments. Hope this helps and good luck!
-The Chef
About the Author
Raised in eastern North Carolina, The Chef has always most loved southern cuisine. While working for a top resort just after finishing Culinary School at Johnson and Wales University, when they still had a campus located in Charleston, South Carolina, he began learning about Gullah cuisine and enjoys it as well. He's a family man and country boy at heart, loves hunting and is a big fan of the John Boy and Billy Big Show and the Carolina Panthers.
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